This invention relates to rugged, yet lightweight, outdoor furniture that is continuously adjustable to accommodate being employed on varying terrain.
Attendees of outdoor spectator events, such as golf, baseball, soccer, fireworks displays and parades, for example, typically use lawn furniture for seating during the event. Seating is commonly placed on nearby grass areas which may or may not be flat. A broad range of portable, folding and compact outdoor furniture is available in today""s market but their designs are optimized for level or horizontal surfaces. The furniture is not the problem, rather it is the way the furniture is ill-suited to be used on sloping ground.
Depending on the angle of the ground or slope, the seat of most chairs remains roughly parallel (actually around 6xc2x0) relative to the ground upon which it is situated. As the slope of the ground increases, the angle of an individual""s seated position relative to horizontal decreases. As the seating angle approaches zero and becomes negative, the seated individual""s constant attempt to brace himself to keep from sliding out of the chair or to keep the chair from toppling forward does not create a situation of relaxed comfort, the goal of sitting in a chair in the first place. At some point of discomfort individuals, having nothing more than a fixed-leg lawn chair, may completely abandon the chair and elect to sit on the ground or try to find flatter ground for their chairs rather than fight the slope. Unfortunately, flatter ground simply may not exist, may be occupied by others or may offer an inferior viewing perspective of the event being observed.
In order to compensate for various grades or slopes, the legs of a chair should be easily and continuously adjustable to adapt to a wide degree of slopes in order to maintain a somewhat normal and comfortable seating angle. In addition, since the configuration and appearance of a portable chair may be subject to rules and restrictions at certain spectator events, a chair""s capacity to adapt to sloping terrain seating may be subject to certain other physical limitations. For example, the current rules governing portable seating at the Memorial Golf Tournament held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio prohibit, among other things, chairs with arms and chairs over a certain height.
Attempts to solve this seating problem have resulted in several patents being granted patents for adjustable portable chairs. However, as will be evident from the discourse below, each of these attempts have shortcomings which have prevented them from fully achieving a solution to the slope problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,068, issued to Gleckler et al., discloses a portable folding chair intended for use on sloping terrain by fisherman and campers. Glecker et al.""s chair employs an adjustable extension which is limited to three fixed positions, which accommodates three different degrees of slope. The chair is not easily adjustable from the multiple, fixed seated positions and appears relatively complicated. In addition, the chair has arms which would prevent it from being used at certain events.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,333, issued to Wilson, discloses a chair which provides either three or four individually adjustable legs such that the chair can be used on a variety of terrain. Like Gleckler et al. the number of positions is fixed and thus cannot conform continuously to a wide degree of slopes. The legs do not appear to be easily adjustable by a user from a seated position. Like the Glecker chair, the Wilson chair has arms and thus would not conform to events accepting only portable chairs without arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,642, issued to Herzog, discloses a folding stool, with individually adjustable legs, that is adaptable for use on various sloped terrains. However, like the other chairs in the cited patents, the legs are not adjustable from a seated position and adjustment is limited to fixed number of angles based upon predetermined, fixed hole spacings. While Herzog has no arms, its ability of increasing the height of the stool for better viewing over crowds would violate chair policies for events regulating maximum allowable seat height for portable seating.
What is needed is sturdy, portable lawn furniture that is easily and quickly adjustable to accommodate varying slopes of terrain.
The present invention provides sturdy, portable lawn furniture that is easily and quickly adjustable to accommodate varying slopes of terrain. The furniture is provided with embodiments that can be used as either chairs or tables, depending upon whether the structure is provided with a back rest.
The disclosed invention provides numerous features and advantages over the prior art in a number of embodiments including:
A chair for maintaining a normal seated position on flat, horizontal ground continuously up to thirty degree grades or slopes by utilizing a quick and sturdy rear leg leveling adjustment,
A chair that is adjustable from a seated position,
Solid construction, high quality materials, light-weight and portable,
A portable chair that folds flat for storage and easy portage,
A portable chair designed within specified limitations on chair seat height and width and chair back height for select events prohibiting certain chairs, i.e., lawn chairs, solid chairs and chairs with arms,
Suitability for commercial and rental applications with sleek look, durability, function and design,
Ability to be used on flat or horizontal ground in addition to sloped terrain,
An integral beverage holder that swivels from its stored position to accept a standard, tapered, paper or plastic cup,
A front slot for captively retaining a card, such as a golf pairing sheet or course description, wedding program, event program, etc.,
Portible furninture that can be provided with or without a back support, in which case, it can be employed as a stool or a table that is also readily adaptable for use on sloped terrain.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.